England's meticulous preparation pays off
England's retention of the Ashes was a consequence of months of planning and tactical superiority, writes Stephen Brenkley in the Independent .
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
England's retention of the Ashes was a consequence of months of planning and tactical superiority, writes Stephen Brenkley in the Independent.
England have been stupendous for most of this campaign, for which they prepared meticulously. They did so in assessing the tactics they would need to prevail on Australian pitches and in selecting the players they would need to carry out those tactics. In batting, bowling and fielding they calculated a way they needed to play and for the most they played like it.
England's performance in Australia this series trumps the achievement of 2005 at home, says James Lawton, also in the Independent.
In the Daily Telegraph, Derek Pringle writes of the influence Andrew Strauss's captaincy has had on England's achievement.
In the same newspaper, Simon Briggs says England's task is still incomplete with another Test remaining, and they need to ensure there is no window spared for an Australian fightback.
Duncan Fletcher, the former England coach, agrees in the Guardian, saying England must win the Sydney Test to stake their claim for the No.1 ranking.
Rob Smyth, in his Guardian blog, calls the triumph as deliverance for a young generation of England fans who had never before seen an Ashes win in Australia, and then looks back at the painful memories of the numerous hammerings earlier teams received.
Siddhartha Talya is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo